Blouse shoulder strap



July 19, 1949- H. F. Elsa-NBER@ 2,476,712

BLOUSE SHOULDER STRAP Filed Deo. ze, 1946 IN V EN TOR. HERMAN F rsr: Nar-:RG

Patented July 19, 1949 UNITED STATE OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to apparel and apparel accessories, and the principal aim of the invention is to provide improvements in such additions where it is intended, especially in womens .apparel, to provide a holding and positioning means to be located over a shoulder and to cooperate in a novel and valuable way Vwith a tape-likel component of another article whether the latter be an article of apparel or not.

In the utilization ofthe invention as above, a special object thereof is to. provide a .shoulder strap or epaulet for the over-shoulder portion of a waist, blouse or other upper garment, and an epaulet which can be carried inside or outside the blouse or the like but in either case to have new rality of selectively prevised diiferent ways of Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view, looking toward the shoulder portion of the garment as seen at the left in Fig. 1, additionally showing, as the tape-like component aforesaid, a strap held by and positioned within the epaulet.

Fig. 3 is a further enlarged detail view, this being a section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. l, except that the epaulets are mounted on the inside of the garment.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line of Fig. 4. Y

Fig. 6 is a view similar toFig. 2 but showing another embodiment.

' Fig. 7 is a vertical section takenon the line 1-1 of Fig. 6.

functioning, according to the desire of the-wearer,

Also in the connectionalready referred to, an

object is to provide anepaulet which maybe employed as a holding and positioning means for a plurality of tape-like components to be positioned and held over a shoulder of the wearer.,

Generally, the invention aims to provide features as aforesaid in an epaulet of attractive appearance, free of discomfort when used, inexpensive to make, yet long wearing, and in the last regard, to provide a collection of various attaching devices for the epaulet so coacting as to bypass certain strains to insure that these willbe taken up and absorbed by a part of the epaulet itself which is inherently sturdier than the resistance to disengagement of an attaching means for the epaulet selected because of its havingadvantages other thana high resistance to a disengaging force.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a womans blouse equipped at each shoulder with an epaulet according Yto one embodiment of the invention;

ment,

Fig. 8 is a viewA similar to Fig. 7 but illustrating the epaulet when the same is to be placed inside the garment.

Fig. 9 is a View also similar to Fig. 2 but showing still another embodiment.

Fig. 10 is a vertical section taken on the line iol of Fig. 9. y

Referring to the drawings in detail, and especially to the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 through 5, a garment l5 is here illustrated as provided with a' pair of epaulets i6. One such epaulet is seen lin complete perspective in Fig. 2, in which view the collar il of the garment is omitted. Near the neckline I8 of the garment and over the shoulder portion of the latter, the epaulet iii is suitably secured in place, permanently, as by stitching i9, or temporarily, as by a snap fastener or equivalent (not shown)` The opposite or outer end of the epaulet is attached in place to the shoulder portion of the garment, adjacent a seam 2&3 between the main body 0f the garment and a sleeve 12|. This last mentioned attachment is preferably by Way of a snap fastener, as shown in Fig.v 3, such fastener being conventional and comprising a post element 22 and a socket element 23.

The snap fastener element mounted on the epaulet is here shown as the post element 22. Such mounting thereof is one which hides the presence of the snap fastener while the epaulet is in use. To this end an extra piece of material 24 is marginally stitched to the underside of the epaulet i5 as by the stitchings 25 and 26. VThe post element 22 of the snap fastener is secured to the piece of material 24, with its post extended downward away from the underside of the epaulet le,

In combination with the feature just described, there is a furtherl auxiliary structure on the epaulet, the purpose of which will become plain in a moment. Included in said structure is another piece of material 21 here shown as integral with the main material of the epaulet, and provided by folding the inner end of the epaulet over and under to lie below a portion of the main material of the epaulet as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, so that the stitching I9 passes through not only the garment I5 but through what in effect amounts to two plies of the epaulet. The piece of material 21 may be extended any desired distance away from the stitching I9, but it is here shown of such length that when stitching 28 is applied to connect the outer end of the piece of material 21 with the main body of the epaulet, there is provided a lateral tunnel through the epaulet of a width suiiicient to take easily a strap 29 of the4 familiar yinverted-Ll extension and which may suspend any article to be carried from the shoulder-as a support, such as a hand bag, a Satchel, a camera, a pair of eld glasses, or the like. Thus the stitches IS and 2i?. relatively strong compared to the impermanent engagement of the snap fastener elements 22 and 23, take any stress from the strap 29 originating in a sudden swing or sway of the object suspended from the strap, and so diverts strain from the snap fastener, with the result that the latter may be perfectly relied on to maintain the outer end of the epaulet in place.

Similar advantages are present when the epaulet is placed inside the vgarment I5 as indicated in Fig. 4. Referring in this connection now particularly to Fig. 5, showing :the garment as the same one illustrated in the other views, it will be noted that the epaulet, marked generally it' and incorporating auxiliary pieces 24 and 21' corresponding respectively to the pieces 24 and 21, and having stitchings I9', 26' and 28 correspending respectively to thestitchings I9, 2t and 28. is here constructed exactly like the vepaulet I6, with the following exceptions: n

For one thing. the piece 24 is here shown as integral with the main body ofthe epaulet, lnstead of a separate piece 24 lasin Figs. l-3. Also, it is now the socket element 23' of the snap fastener which is `carried by the main body of the garment, with the mouth of its socketv facing downward from theinside of the garment; and it is new the post element 22' of the'snap fastener which is carried by the epaulet, with the post directed upward. But now, with the element 22 mountedon the piece 24', the lowermost clinched ange ofthe element 22 is nested between the piece 24' and the main underlying body of the epaulet; with the result that the skin of the wearer of the garmentisprotected against contact with the metal material of said fla-nge.

An epaulet according to the invention when secured to the underside of'thedgarment oiers also all the other advantages of the latter; among which advantages are the provision of a transverse tun-nel as before, for positioning vand holding an over-shoulder tape 30 of a slip or the like, and the functioning of :the stitchings I-S' and 28' to bypass strain from the snap fastener as -already pointed out.

Referring next te Figs. 16 and 7, the embodiment here shown is applied .to the Lsame rtype of garment elsewhere illustrated herein; and comprises an epaulet, marked generally 3|, which, while affording all the advantages of the invention .as above mentioned, offers still another as will jbe mentioned .in a moment. Here the `epaulet is made up of an upper piece of material 32 and an underlying piece 33 of the same or a different material. Near the outer end of the piece 33 is mounted the post element 22a of a snap fastener with its post directed downward as shown. The two pieces 32 and 33 are laterally stitched together, as by the lines of stitching 34, 35, 36 and 31; stitching 34 going through the main body of the garment I 5, and the other three stitchings establishing three pockets along the length of the epaulet.

In the pocket thereby established at the outer end of the epaulet is concealed the basal part of the post element 228-, while each of the two other pockets provides a lateral tunnel pursuant to and having the advantages of the invention. Through either or both of such tunnels, a tapelike strap 39 may be extended. When two such straps are thus employed, as the straps indicated at 33 and 4l) in Fig. '7, one might suspend a hand bag, and therother an auxiliary.

The type of epaulet just described may also be attached to the inside of the garment, preferably by reversing the two elements of the snap fastener and otherwise according to the principles of Fig. 5 as hereinabove explained; in which connection see Fig. 8. Here the socket element 23b is carried by the main body of the garment, and the post element 22b by the now uppermost piece 33' corresponding to the piece 33; there nowbeing provided also, between said piece 33', and the piece 32' corresponding to the piece 32, a pair of cross-shoulder-spaced tunnels 4I .and 42, each'for taking a tape or the like from a nether undergarment. Here, as will be under stood. the stitchings 34', 3.5. 36 and 31 corre spond respectively to the stitchngs 34, 35, 33 and 31.

Referring finally to the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10, this, also, is shown as applied to the same garment I5. The epaulet marked generally 43 comprises a maii member 44, having at its outer end an integral prolongation 45 folded over and stitched down onto the main member 44 at 46. A snap fastener post element 22c is carried by the epaulet as shown, this element for cooperating with a socket elee ment 23 on the garment I 5, for mounting the outer end .of the epaulet. The latter is shown as attachable at its inner end to the garment I5. also by a snap fastener 41.

The post element 48 of still another snap fastener is shown as carried by the epaulet; this element 48 being indirectly thus carried, because directly carried by a slider-sleeve 49 of textile or .any suitable material on the epaulet. At spaced points across the shoulder of the Ygarment I5 are two snap fastener socket elements 50 and 5I. Thus the slider sleeve may be positioned along the epaulet to arrange the post `.element `48 to cooperate with .either .of the socket elements 50 and 5 I thereby to adjust the epaulet for most .comfortable performance of its function in acting as a holding and positioning means for a strap attached to an .article to be carried while suspended from the shoulder.

In the appended claims, .wherever an epaulet or shoulder strap is vreferred to as having means for vattachment thereof to an over-shoulder portion of a garment, there is meant that the shoulder strap is thus intended gto be used or capable of being .so used-either at the-outside or at the inside of .the garment. Y

While I have illustrated anddescribed the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming Within the scope of the invention as deiined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A shoulder strap for application to a garment for the purpose described, comprising a main member, an auxiliary member, means partially carried by one of said members and partially carried by the garment for attaching the shoulder strap to the latter, means partially carried by one of said members and partially carried by one of the auxiliary members and the garment for providing a previsedly located tunnel through which a supporting strap or the like may be extended, such tunnel being of less Width than the length of the shoulder strap, said two means being so arranged and located relative to the length of the shoulder strap that strain along the length of the shoulder strap and delivered from said supporting strap laterally of the latter is at least substantially mainly absorbed by the secondnamed means before reaching the first-named means.

2. A shoulder strap for application to a garment for the purpose described, comprising a main member, an auxiliary member, means partially carried by one of said members and partially carried by the garment for attaching the shoulder strap to the latter, means partially carried by one of said members and partially carried by one of the auxiliary members and the garment for providing a previsedly located tunnel through which a supporting strap or the like may be extended, such tunnel being of less Width than the length of the shoulder strap, said first-named means being a snap fastener the post element .of which is carried by the shoulder strap, the shoulder strap including a second auxiliary member shaped and connected to the main member to cover` the basal portion of said post element Where it would other- Wise be exposed on a side of the shoulder strap opposite to the side of the latter whence projects the post of said element.

3. A shoulder strap for application to a garment for the purpose described, comprising a main member, an auxiliary member, means partially carried by one of said members and partially carried by the garment for attaching the shoulder strap to the latter, and means partially including the shoulder strap for providing endwisely of the latter a plurality .of tunnels through each of Which a supporting strap may be extended, said tunnels spaced longitudinally of and each extending laterally of the shoulder strap.

e. A shoulder strap for application to a garment for the purpose described, comprising a main member, an auxiliary member, means partially carried by one of said members and partially carried by the garment for attaching the shoulder strap to the latter, means partially carried by one of said members and partially carried by .one of the auxiliary members and the garment for providing a previsedly located tunnel through which a supporting strap or the like may be extended, such tunnel being of less Width than the length of the shoulder strap, said means comprising a plurality of fastener elements carried by and spaced lengthwisely of anover-shoulder portion of the garment, and a plurality .of complementary fastener elements carried by and spaced lengthwisely of the shoulder strap.

5. A shoulder strap for application to a garment for the purpose described, comprising a main member, an auxiliary member, means partially carried by one of said members and partially car= ried by the garment for attaching the shoulder strap to the latter, means partially carried by one of said members and partially carried by one of the auxiliary members and the garment for providing a previsedly located tunnel through which a supporting strap or the like may be extended, such tunnel being of lessA Width than the length of the shoulder strap, said means comprising a plurality of fastener elements carried by and spaced lengthwisely of an over-shoulder portion of the garment, a second auxiliary member, a

complementary fastener element couplable selectively with one .of said plurality of fastener components, said complementary element carried by said second auxiliary member, said second auxil- 6. A shoulder strap for application to a garment for the purpose described, comprising a main member, an auxiliary member, means partially carried by one of said members and partially f carried by the garment for attaching the shoulder strap to the latter, means partially carried by one of said members and partially carried by one of the auxiliary members and the garment for pron viding a previsedly located tunnel through which a supporting strap or the like may be extended,

such tunnel being .of less width than the length of the shoulder strap, said means comprising a plurality oi fastener elements carried by and spaced lengthwisely of an over-shoulder portion of the garment, a second auxiliary member, a complementary fastener element couplable selecy tively with one of said plurality of fastener components, said complementary element being carried by said second auxiliary member, said second auxiliary member being adjustable on the shoulder strap for making the selective coupling aforesaid thereby to provide at a longitudinal subdivision of the shoulder strap a previsedly located tunnel through which a supporting strap may be extended, said second auxiliary member being an endless band of material sleeving the shoulder strap laterally thereof.

HERMAN F. EISENBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 831,172 Maloney Sept. 18, 1906 1,598,327 Stingel Aug. 31, 1926 2,396,158 Cohen Mar. 5, 1946 

